Best Abu Dhabi Motivational Speakers: 9 Steps to See Them in Action

If you’re a conference organiser/event planner, you already know how stressful setting up an event is; be it big or small. This guide will help you make sure that one of those moving parts, the speakers for your event, will run smoothly.

Abu Dhabi is highly ranked by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) and “on the forefront of business tourism” states Rana Freifer. [1]

A conference speaker can make or break your event; therefore, it is important to pay a lot of attention to the booking process.

You want to do everything in your power to set your selectees up for success, so they do a sterling job and make you the hero.

Like a juggler, top event professionals are keeping hundreds of balls in the air and they have checklists for their checklists. There are so many moving parts that something can go wrong and invariably does.

You want to book the best motivational speakers for Abu Dhabi so that both you and them are a hit with the audience.

Have a look at the nine steps below so you don’t inadvertently set them up for failure…

1. Search for the Best Abu Dhabi Motivational Speakers

Largest of the United Arab Emirate’s 7x emirates, capital Abu Dhabi, is the core of commerce and industry [2].

You’ll spend an inordinate amount of time looking for right-fit orators for your conference. There’s the internet search looking at speaker websites. Then there’s the short-listing and the interviews before you decide.

Many keynote speakers have excellent websites with compelling marketing hype. Don’t be easily overawed and convinced by the number of speaking gigs they’ve done, the companies they’ve spoken to, how many continents they’ve spoken on and the testimonials they have received.

You do want this track record and the speakers’ marketing collateral will give an overall picture. The litmus test, however, comes down to the video showreel and telephone conversations with the best motivational speakers in Abu Dhabi.

You need to see their video trailers so you can gauge whether they are suitable to speak to your audience.

If a speaker doesn’t have any video footage for you to look at, this is normally a red flag. Real professionals make sure they have some kind of showreel for bookers to watch. Some companies go as far as auditioning the speaker (but in most cases, this is neither necessary nor workable). You can for example, ask for contact details of the bookers of the speaker’s references so you can hear from them how the speaker worked out.

The assumption is that by now you have already identified the conference venue e.g. the world-class ADNEC (Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company) [3]. It’s a pride for the city and the Emirates, with its amazing exhibition space, seating for 6 000 conference-goers and sophisticated catering facilities.

2. Find the Best Abu Dhabi Motivational Speakers UAE

Multiplying the value proposition, “Advantage Abu Dhabi” offers a sequence of assistance to conference professionals right through the event planning cycle. The “Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau provides a programme that’s beneficial to the event organiser … and enhances the experience of the event attendees.” [4]

Your conference is not the time to be testing out new, unknown and untested communicators. The experienced entities are the safest bet.

The best Abu Dhabi motivational speakers don’t come cheap.

But if you think about audience value and event success, then it’s worth paying for quality because it will give you the peace-of-mind that they will deliver on your expectations. The audience will be thrilled, the CEO will be wowed and you will be relieved.

Of course, there is a place for inexperienced orators (everyone has to start somewhere and if nobody gives them a chance, they’ll get nowhere). Give inexperienced presenters a crack at headlining a breakout or training session with a smaller group.

Check out your prospect’s pedigree. As a general rule, s/he should have at least five years’ experience (with testimonials and video) before you consider him/her for the main stage convention.

3. The Best Abu Dhabi Motivational Speakers Are Not Always Celebrities

Companies with big budgets sometimes look for celebrities. If you’re searching for famous names from the Arab world or internationally, the fees could be even steeper (especially since they expect to travel first class or business class, at the least).

The challenge with famous personalities is that not all of them are great presenters.

They could end up giving a dull, dry and dreary keynote. Do your due diligence just like you would for any other Abu Dhabi motivational speaker. Find videos of the celebrity presenting and get references.

The hidden frustration of booking famous people is that some of them might be prima donnas. They might have contracts and technical riders longer than one’s arm and foibles that will flabbergast even the most even-tempered booker. Sometimes, getting them onto your stage is way more hassle than they are worth. Many a conference organiser has had a panic attack when dealing with some of them because they are hard work.

4. Briefing Your Selectees

Once you’ve decided on a motivational speaker for your Abu Dhabi conference, you need to brief her/him. The briefing is vital.

Many presenters have disappointed because they weren’t briefed properly. This is where you set expectations for both your company and the speaker.

You can guide the guest on the key messaging you want to get across to your audience and inform on your corporate culture (what to avoid and what to illuminate).

5. The Most Effective Speaking Slot

A sure-fire way to set even the best motivational speaker in Abu Dhabi up for failure is to put him/her into the so-called “graveyard shift” meaning i.e. after lunch or at 15h00 when the audiences’ energy levels are at an all-time low.

It’s best for them to open the conference or event in the morning when the audience is still fresh, motivated and inquisitive.

Another death knell for a presenter is if the delegates stay up the night before and get to bed late. It’s no fun to present to an audience that’s nursing tiredness from the night before. There will be little to no impact on shifting the consciousness of the audience. That is literally the professional speaking fee down the drain.

Having a guest on any late afternoon or late evening is problematic when audiences are exhausted and difficult to engage.

6. Drawing Up the Contract

It’s essential that you draw up a contract to protect both parties.

Having all the paperwork in place is a win-win for everyone.

Contracts manage both the company and speaker’s expectations and leave little room for errors to creep in.

7. The Technical Detail

The metropolis is hugely influential with business tourism and the international convention industry. “Business tourism accounts for about 80 per cent of tourism to Abu Dhabi” explains Rebecca Bundhun and luxury hotels like the Yas Hotel and Emirates Palace bestow ultra-modern conference capabilities for event organisers [5].

Keynote speakers typically have specific technical requirements.

Most of them will have a presentation on either Microsoft PowerPoint or Apple Keynote. There will be sound, video and lighting requirements etc.

Because they know what works for their presentation, it’s vital to meet their needs as much as you can so you set them up for success.

If a motivational speaker has no technical requirements or a PowerPoint/keynote presentation, this should raise concerns. One doesn’t want a presenter who comes in and wings a keynote speech.

8. When the Best Motivational Speakers for Abu Dhabi Have to Travel to Your Event

One of the biggest stressors for an event planner is getting the invitee to the venue on time. Nothing will send chills down a conference organiser’s spine quicker than a call saying s/he is 20 minutes away when the conference starts in five minutes.

One booker relayed that a presenter phoned and said, “The plane left without me.” You can imagine the derision and anger that was heaped on that individual. In this instance, the event professional had a back-up keynote speaker in place and the event worked out fine.

If it’s an out-of-town venue, or out-of-country motivational speaker for Abu Dhabi, always try to do the checks the night before. The hard work with travel arrangements like visas and extra accommodation will make it all worth it.

Getting off a plane and rushing to a venue is a stressful experience. One wants the professional called upon to be on top of their game and well-rested.

Make sure you’re in communication with them at all times and that you have one another’s mobile numbers.

9. Introducing the Speaker

A lame way to set even the best Abu Dhabi motivational speakers up for failure is to fluff their introductions. Make sure that whoever will introduce them has the introduction at least a week before so they can practise.

There’s nothing worse for a keynoter than when the introducer searches for the introduction on a mobile phone email and reads it for the first time. It is a recipe for disaster. Guests count on proper introductions and will have different introductions for different scenarios.

The most experienced ones insist that the introduction gets read as is with no changes or embellishments.

Your speaker should provide a one-page introduction in at least 16 point font and double space (sometimes the venue lighting is bad, and it’s difficult for the introducer to read 10-point font).

An experienced presenter will also print out a couple of copies of the introduction so that in case the introducer isn’t prepared, they can give them a copy.

For many keynoters, the introduction is part of their speech and it helps them get into the right frame of mind to launch into the presentation. If the introducer goes off-script and messes up the introduction, it can throw the speaker off stride.

These nine steps can go a long way to making sure that your best motivational speakers for Abu Dhabi succeed at the conference and that audiences are happy and impressed.